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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

This ambitious project is a culmination of all my interest and time spent admiring Dutch still life paintings, curiosities and crappy taxidermy. I'll keep posting as it progresses. The studio set up is like ridding a bike, it was bumpy and awkward at fist but I'm really excited be on the ride.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

In response to What kind of gloves?, I say: add some fur aaand fingernails.untitled; ‘Fur Gloves with Wooden Fingernails’ by Meret Oppenheim

And while you're at it, a dash of fur on the servingware pairs nicely.

Fur Covered Cup, Saucer, and Spoon, 1936Luncheon in FurIf you don't know anything about Meret Oppenheim, do something about that.

This Surrealist object was inspired by a conversation between Oppenheim and artists Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar at a Paris cafe. Admiring Oppenheim’s fur-covered bracelet, Picasso remarked that one could cover anything with fur, to which she replied, “Even this cup and saucer.” Soon after, when asked by André Breton, Surrealism’s leader, to participate in the first Surrealist exhibition dedicated to objects, Oppenheim bought a teacup, saucer, and spoon at a department store and covered them with the fur of a Chinese gazelle.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Narwhals are sometimes called sea unicorns because of the enormous tusk that grows from the upper jaw in males. Some scientists have speculated that narwhal tusks, which can grow almost as long as three meters (about 10 feet), might be enormous sensory organs that can detect subtle changes in temperature and pressure.

A Magical Cup?In the Middle Ages, narwhal tusks were widely thought to be unicorn horns with magical, curative properties. Indeed, cups made from narwhal tusks (above) were thought to neutralize poisons and were highly valued. Elizabeth I, Queen of England in the 1500s, is said to have owned a tusk worth 10,000 pounds, the price of a castle.

Throughout history, the narwhal tooth has inspired legend and lore. So prized was the fabled tooth of the unicorn that Queen Elizabeth in the 16th century paid 10,000 pounds for one, equivalent to the cost of an entire castle. The tooth is revered by many cultures around the world. In Japan, two crossed narwhal teeth adorn the entrance to the Korninkaku Palace. In Denmark multiple teeth comprise the frame. The royal scepter in England is made from the rare tusk.